New tours from AITO members
Cachet Travel will complete its Canary Island collection from November, with the addition of Fuerteventura and El Hierro. This will make it one of the only UK tour operators offering tailor-made packages to all seven main islands in the Canaries, as well as the tiny isle of La Graciosa just off Lanzarote. www.cachet-travel.co.uk
Discover Ltd is hosting a 140km route or a 60km route charity cycle ride in Marrakech next April for Moroccan NGO, Education For All. Riders climb up through the High Atlas Mountains to the ski resort of Oukaïmeden (Ouka), which sits at 2,624m above sea level. www.discover.ltd.uk.
Explore has launched two new ‘Limited Collection’ tours that take in winter festivals. The new 14 day Sapporo Snow Festival tour in Japan also visits Kyoto, Yudanaka – home to the famous ‘snow monkeys’, and spends a night in a seventh century Zenko-ji temple complex. Meanwhile the 11 day Harbin Ice Festival and Chinese New Year also includes tickets to Hong Kong’s New Year Parade, where customers can watch from reserved seats. www.explore.co.uk.
Expressions Holidays has developed small group garden tours of Italy including Tuscany and the Italian Lakes. These tours operate with a maximum of 10 people and prices start from £2,190 per person including flights, transport, entrance fees, garden guides and meals.
Ffestiniog Travel, the specialist rail operator, has launched its new Rail Holidays of the World 2013 brochure, packed with a tempting selection of escorted and tailor-made journeys across the globe. New for next year are three Connoisseur Rail Tours – aimed at those with a specific passion for railways – and five Grand Rail Tours, for travellers looking to explore the world by rail as part of a general-interest itinerary. www.ffestiniogtravel.com.
Inntravel will introduce a new journey, Around North Cape, next February. Travel from the Russian border on a winter voyage aboard the Hurtigruten steamer around Europe’s most northerly extremities and the North Cape. www.inntravel.co.uk.
Kirker Holidays is offering savings of up to £825 pp on very special Venice short breaks this October that include one night full-board on the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and a choice of hotels ranging from the three-star Do Pozzi to the world-famous, five-star deluxe Cipriani. www.kirkerholidays.com.
Naturetrek, the wildlife specialist, has an exciting new 2013 brochure containing 11 new tours. New for 2013 are a spring bird watching trip to Sicily, a ‘Killer Whales & Northern Lights’ tour of Iceland, a puma-watching itinerary in Chile, a visit to the little-known park of Satpura National Park in India and four new UK trips. www.naturetrek.co.uk.
Oasis Overland is widening its range of trips to include Family Adventure Tours to Egypt, Jordan and Israel. Tours depart most weeks of the year and include eight, nine, 14 and 18 day adventures. These adventure tours provide a wonderful opportunity for families to discover incredible sights and to learn something of everyday life in these countries, whilst also having time for fun by the pool or on the beach. www.oasisoverland.co.uk.
Peter Sommer Travels is launching a new land tour of Crete in April 2013. Led by Heinrich Hall, an archaeologist and fluent Greek speaker, the 12-day ‘Archaeology, Nature & Food’ tour takes in some of the island’s most important ancient sites, as well as delicious local Cretan cuisine and beautiful spring flowers. www.petersommer.com.
Prestige Holidays has launched its third dedicated winter Canaries brochure featuring the islands of Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma and La Gomera. New properties for 2012/13 include: the Iberostar Hotel Mencey in Santa Cruz and RIU Garoe in Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife and the Hacienda de Abajo in La Palma. The operator is also featuring adults only Red Level rooms at Gran Melia Palacio de Isora Resort. www.prestigeholidays.co.uk.
Ramblers Holidays Worldwide, the guided walks specialist, has just launched the Heart & Sole charitable initiative – aimed at reaching the hearts of communities of the many countries the operator visits. Projects include: Malaria No More UK, Cockermouth Mountain Rescue, SOS Children’s Village, Royal Draakensberg Primary School, KwaZulu Natal and Bhero Kakar Primary School in Rajasthan. www.ramblersholidays.co.uk.
Taber Holidays’ brand new Northern Lights Exploration tour to Iceland includes walks between tectonic plates; a visit to Eyjafjallajkull, Iceland’s famous ‘ash cloud’ volcano; bathing in the Blue Lagoon, and a hot spring tasting with geothermally cooked bread and eggs. Each evening can be spent learning about and chasing the phenomenal Aurora Borealis. www.taberholidays.co.uk.
Wilderness Scotland is introducing a brand new walking break, Walking in the Autumn Glens. This guided walking tour explores the brilliant fall colours of the Central Highlands at a gentle, relaxed pace. www.wildernessscotland.com.
Save the date – 2012 AITO events:
Tuesday 20 November (3pm-6pm): AITO Meets the Media – Come along and find out more about new destinations, trips and ideas for 2013 from AITO members at this popular annual event. To register for an invitation, please email events@travelpr.co.uk and state clearly in the subject line ‘November Meets the Media’.
AITO Travel Writer of the Year Awards 2012 – Keep an eye out for your chance to enter these prestigious awards: ‘Travel Writer of the Year’, ‘Young Travel Writer of the Year’ and ‘Online Travel Writer of the Year’. Press will be contacted with information about how to enter soon and to register your interest, please email events@travelpr.co.uk and state clearly in the subject line ‘AITO Travel Writer of the Year Awards’.
AITO website – What are people looking for?
We’ve taken a close look at the AITO website and crunched the numbers to see what’s proving popular with visitors to www.aito.com:
Top 10 AITO holiday destinations by page view
- Central Northern Europe
- North Africa
- Spain
- Greece
- Italy
- South East Asia
- Australasia
- Portugal
- Turkey
- Eastern Europe
Top 10 AITO themes by page view
- Cultural/ history holidays
- Special occasions
- Gastronomy wine holidays
- Fly drive touring
- Sun holiday
- Sub Sahara holiday
- Wildlife nature holiday
- Hobbies/interests holiday
- Activities holiday
- Polar holidays
- Cities short break holiday
For further information on AITO, please contact Travel PR on 020 8891 4440 or email Stephanie Reed (s.reed@travelpr.co.uk) or Sue Ockwell (s.ockwell@travelpr.co.uk).
Issued: 29 August 2012
On behalf of:
AITO, 133A St Margaret’s Road, Twickenham, Greater London TW1 1RG
Telephone: +44 (0)20 8744 9280 www.aito.com